-The  A.  O.  U,  W." 


A  MUSICAL  LECTURE 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  ORIGINAL  SONGS 

Set  to  Familiar  Tunes  with 
Introductions  in  Prose,  and  setting  forth  the  Origin, 
History  and  Achievements  of  the 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 

By  SAM  BOOTH 


“The  A.  O.  U.  W. 


tt 


A  MUSICAL  LECTURE 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  ORIGINAL  SONGS 


Set  to  Familiar  Tones  with 
Introductions  in  Prose,  and  setting  forth  the  Origin, 
History  and  Achievements  of  the 


Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 


By  SAM  BOOTH 


A  WORD  OF  EXPLANATION 


The  songs  included  in  this  little  book  have  nearly 
all,  atonetinje  or  another,  been  published  in  the  A. 
O.  U.  W. — the  Workmen’s  official  organ  of  the  Grand 
Jurisdiction  of  California.  lam  continually  receiv¬ 
ing  applications,  however,  for  some  of  them,  from 
brethren  in  various  paits  of  the  country,  and  so,  be¬ 
lieving  that  their  circulation  will  be  for  the  good  of 
the  Order,  1  have  been  persuaded  to  publish  them 
collectiv'ely  in  this  more  convenient  and  enduring 
form. 

1  arranged  them  as  they  are  now  presented,  with 
explanatory  introductions  in  prose,  for  my  ow^n  con¬ 
venience,  as  a  Musical  hecture,  and  delivered  it  a 
number  of  times  with  more  or  less  success,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  but  there  are  many  brothers  of  the 
Order  who  can  use  them  in  a  similar  manner  with 
still  greater  success.  There  are  others  who  can  make 
selections  from  them  and  sing  them  for  their  own 
amusement,  under  the  head  of  '“Good  of  the  Order,” 
or  at  Lodge  Entertainments,  and  if  they  get  as  much" 
fun  out  of  them  as  their  composer,  they  will  cer¬ 
tainly  have  no  cause  to  complain. 

Fraternally,  in  C.,  H.  and  P., 

vSAM  BOOTH. 

Published  with  the  consent  and  by  the  authority  of 
Chas.  E.  Snook, 

Grand  Master  A.  O.  U.  W.  of  California 

Price,  per  copy,  in  paper  cover,  15  cents.  In  pack¬ 
ages  of  ten  or  more,  10  cents  per  copy.  Send  orders 
to  Sam  Booth,  Grand  Receiver,  C.  T.  Spencer,  Grand 
Recorder,  or  Win.  11.  Barnes,  Grand  Lecturer,  A.  O. 
U.  W.,  Room  66,  Flood  Building,  San  Francisco. 

souvenir  edition  on  fine  heavy  paper  and  hand¬ 
somely  bound  in  flexible  cloth  cover  will  be  prepared 
and  sold  for  50  cents  per  copy. 

Those  desiring  this  souvenir  edition  wdll  please 
send  in  their  orders  as  early  as  convenient,  so  that 
tlie}^  can  be  provided  for. 


THE  A.  O.  U.  W 


Its  Origfin,  History  and  Achievements 
A  MUSICAL  LECTURE 

BY  SAM  BOOTH,  P.  G.  M.  W. 


It  is  said,  that  the  man  who  makes  two  blades  of 
grass  to  grow  where  only  one  did  grow  before,  is,  to 
that  extent,  a  benefactor  of  the  race.  In  like  man¬ 
ner,  in  regard  to  the  difusion  of  useful  knowledge, 
it  may  be  said,  that  he  who  imparts  to  others  in¬ 
formation  which  may  be  helpful  to  him,  and 
through  him  in  ever-widening  circles  to  others,  is 
also  a  benefactor  of  the  race.  I  also  contend  that 
the  man  who  evokes  a  smile  on  faces  where  only 
soberness  and  frowns  are  accustomed  to  dwell,  may 
also  have  some  claims  to  be  considered  a  benefactor 
of  the  race.  The  first  enlarges  our  material  re¬ 
sources;  the  second  extends  the  sphere  of  our 
knowledge;  the  third  contributes  to  our  pleasure  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  other  two,  if  we  have  them, 
and  to  our  happiness,  whether  we  have  them  or  not. 
I  propose  to  make  a  feeble  attempt  in  the  direction 
of  both  of  the  two  latter  propositions. 

For  a  time,  so  long  ago  that  the  memory  of  man 
goeth  not  back  to  the  contrary,  the  more  intelligent 
of  the  classes  of  men  whose  lot  it  is  to  earn  their 
bread  by  the  sweat  of  their  faces,  have  been  study¬ 
ing  and  contrivirig  ways  and  means  of  ameliorating 
their  condition,  while  life  and  health  permitted 
them  to  pursue  their  avocations,  and  to  make  pro¬ 
visions  for  those  dependent  on  them  when  death 


3 


or  failing  health  prevented  them  from  doing  so. 
And  so  we  read  of  trades  guilds  and  labor  organizsi. 
lions  in  the  old  trade  centers  of  ancient  and  me¬ 
diaeval  times.  That  they  were  the  means  of  doing 
good,  and  of  easing  the  burdens  of  those  who  were 
oppressed  and  heavy  laden,  we  have  no  reason  to 
doubt.  We  have  trades  unions  and  labor  leagues  in 


our  own  times,  and  they  are  all  calculated  and  in¬ 
tended  to  be  of  great  benefit  to  their  members  and 
their  families.  That  they  are  not  always  conducted 
with  the  highest  wisdom,  and  that  they  sometimes 
fall  short  of  the  high  ideals,  and  fail  in  attaining 
the  great  objects  of  their  champions  and  projectors, 
is  to  say  that  they  are  human,  and  the  offspring  of 
human  hands  and  brains. 

In  1868,  there  was  living  at  Meadville,  Penn.,  a 
member  of  one  of  these  organizations  by  the  name 
of  .rOHN  JORDAN  UPCHURCH,  a  master  mechanic 
in  the  railroad  shops  of  that  town.  This  man, 
though  born  to  the  lot  of  the  poor  whites  of  the 
south  before  the  war,  with  few  natural  advantages, 
hardly  any  opportunities  in  the  way  of  education, 
and  suffering  withal  most  grievous  misfortune  in 
his  early  youth,  had,  nevertheless,  by  diligent  ap¬ 
plication  of  qualities,  characteristic  of  a  down  Bast 
Yankee,  rather  than  a  native  of  the  Carolinas, 
worked  his  way  up  to  positions  of  trust  and  re¬ 
sponsibility.  With  his  habits  of  shrewd  observa¬ 
tion,  he  had  seen,  and  experienced  in  his  own  per¬ 
son,  the  inutility  of  the  present  methods  of  redress¬ 
ing  the  wrongs  suffered  by  the  laboring  classes  and 
adjusting  the  differences  between  labor  and  capital, 
and  also  of  making  provision  for  the  families  and 
dependents  of  the  “breadwinner,”  while  in  health, 
against  the  time  when  he  could  no  longer  do  so. 
For  years  he  had  been- pondering  and  turning  these 
matters  over  in  his  mind,  and  at  length,  on  the  27th 
day  of  October,  1868,  with  twelve  of  his  friends  and 
fellow-craftsmen,  he  evolved  the  scheme  which 
eventually  became  known  to  the  world  as  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 


And  this  brings  us  to  our  first  song,  “Father 
Upchurch,”  to  the  air  of  “A  Fine  Old  English 
Gentleman.”  Kl3( 


“FATHER  UPCHURCH.’’ 

Air — “A  Fine  Old  English  Gentleman.” 

ril  sing  to  you  a  modern  song,  made  by  a  modest 
pate, 

Of  an  antiquated  Workman,  with  a  very  small 
estate. 

Who  earned  a  modest  livelihood  in  Pennsylvania 
State. 

And  came  to  see  his  children,  living  by  the  Golden 
Gate — 

This  fine  American  Gentleman,  all  of  the  modern 
time. 

When  he  was  born  no  songs  were  sung,  no  flatter¬ 
ing  things  were  said. 

Nor  did  kin..  Fortune  on  his  path  her  bounteous 
blessings  shed. 

Nor  was  the  realm  of  knowledge  to  his  youthful 
vision  spread. 

But  every  day  he  had  to  say,  he’d  earn  his  daily 
bread — 

Like  a  fine  American  Gentleman,  all  of  the  modern 
time. 

As  one  by  one  the  years  rolled  on,  he  came  to  man’s 
estate. 

And  tnen,  no  doubt,  he  cast  about  until  ne  found  his 
mate; 

Then  like  a  loyal  citizen  he  began  to  populate 

The  otate  of  Pennsylvania  at  a  very  rapid  rate — 

Like  a  fine  American  Gentleman,  all  of  the  modern 
time. 

To  keep  his  numerous  family  well  clothed,  and 
housed,  and  fed, 

And  make  provision  for  them  against  the  time 
when  be  was  dead, 

A  mutual  Protection  plan  kept  running  through  his 
head 

And  lo!  our  Ancient  Order  on  its  glorious  mission 
sped  — 

From  this  fine  American  Gentleman,  all  of  the 
modern  time. 


5 


Prom  State  to  State  the  Order  grew  among  the 
great  and  small. 

And  lodges  organized  in  every  city  and  town  hall, 

And  thousands  of  good  citizens  to  join  them  got  a. 
call 

And  look  on  “Father  Upchurch”  as  the  daddy  of 
them  all — 

This  fine  American  Gentlem.an,  all  of  the  modern 
time. 

It’s  two  and  thirty  years  now  since  the  Order  first 
began, 

And  like  a  heavenly  benediction  through  the  coun¬ 
try  ran. 

And  fifty  thousand  families  now  bless  the  good  old 
man 

Whose  kincay  heart  and  fertile  brain  wrought  out 
the  glorious  plan — 

Of  this  fine  American  Gentleman,  all  of  the 
modern  time. 

— Sam  Booth. 


THE  BROTHERHOOD  OP  WORKMEN. 

Between  the  trade  guilds  and  labor  unions,  an¬ 
cient  and  modern,  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  is  this  essential  difference:  that,  where¬ 
as,  members  of  the  ancient  guild  of  weavers,  or 
glovers,  or  the  modern  carpenters’  union  must  be  a 
weaver,  a  glover,  or  a  carpenter,  there  is  no  such 
restriction  in  regard  to  the  members  of  the  A  O 
U.  W. 

The  glory  of  our  Order  is,  that  its  members 
comprise  “all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,”  the 
only  stipulation  on  joining  the  order  being,  th'^t 
they  shall  be  white  males,  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  forty-five,  able  to  earn  a  living  for 
themselves  and  those  dependent  on  them,  acknowl¬ 
edge  a  belief  in  the  Deity,  be  of  good  moral  char¬ 
acter,  and  physically  able  to  pass  a  medical  exami¬ 
nation. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  conceive  of  conditions 
more  liberal,  combined  with  safety,  than  these.  In 


6 


almost  every  Dodge  may  be  found  men  of  various 
trades,  professions  and  nativities;  also,  men  who 
never  had  the  opportunity  of  learning  a  trade,  and 
men  who  have  no  need  to  work  at  one.  And  while 
it  is  by  its  birth  and  nationality  emphatically  an 
Ameiican  institution,  go  into  almost  any  Lodge,  and 
you  will  hear,  as  the  business  of  the  Lodge  is  trans¬ 
acted,  not  only  the  twang  of  the  Yankee  and  the 
dialect  of  Dixie,  but  the  brogue  of  County  Cork  and 
the  patois  of  the  Fatherland.  Men  may  differ  in 
their  religious  beliefs,  each  going  their  own  way,  as 
they  fondly  believe,  to  the  same  heaven.  One  man 
may  be  a  redhot  Republican  gold  money  expansion¬ 
ist,  arid  the  man  sitting  next  to  him  a  sixteen-to-one 
dyed-in-the-wool  Democrat,  while  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room  may  be  a  rank,  rabid,  long-haired 
Populist,  who  believes  that  the  country  is  going  to 
the  dogs  anyhow.  But  all  forget  these  differences 
when  pey  meet  in  a  common  Brotherhood  before 
the  Altar  of  Workmanship  to  sacrifice  in  the  inter¬ 
est  of  “Charity,  Hope  and  Protection.” 

And  this  brings  us  to  our  second  song  “The 
Brotherhood  of  Workmen.” 


THE  WORKMAN 
Air — “The  Showman.” 

Of  all  the  guilds  of  Charity,  in  country,  town  or 
city. 

That  ply  the  gentle  labors  of  Beneficence  and  Pitv 

For  kindly  hearts  and  gentle  hands  and  charitable 
deedi 

And  works  of  Dove’s  sweet  ministry,  the  Workmen 
take  the  lead. 

And  so  we  sing  the  Workmen,  the  Brotherhood  of 
Workmen., 

For  Charity  is* all  the  plea  that  binds  us  to  the 
Workmen. 


7 


Here  laborirg  men  sit  side  by  siae  with  lawyers 
and  physicians, 

And  simple-minded,  honest  men  with  cunning 
politicians; 

Here  famous  men  and  millionaires  are  in  the  same 
degree. 

And  claim  a  common  brotherhood  with  men  like 
you  and  mm. 

And  so  we  sing  the  Workmen,  the  Brotherhood  of 
Workmen, 

For  Kindness  and  Fraternity  abound  among  the 
Workmen. 

Here  you  may  meet  fraternally  your  many  friends 
and  neighbors. 

Good  men  and  true  to  share  with  you  your  pleasures 
and  your  labors; 

Here  you  may  find  a  Brother’s  aid  for  all  the  ills 
of  life, 

And  when  you  die  we  give  two  thousand  dollars  to 
your  wife. 

And  so  we  sing  the  Workmen,  The  Ancient  Order 
of  Workmen, 

For  Charity  and  Fraternity  abound  among  the 
Workmen. 

— Sam  Booth. 


HEAVEN-BORN  CHARITY. 

Unon  the  Altar  of  every  Workman  Lodge  is  the 
Bible,  not  as  an  ostentatious  assumption  of  superior 
goodness,  or  as  the  emblem  of  any  particular  or  dis¬ 
tinctive  creed,  but  because  it  is  the  clearest  revela¬ 
tion  of  God's  will  to  man,  and  because  within  its 
pages  are  found  the  best  rules  for  the  guidance  of 
our  lives  and  conduct,  and  unless  it  is  there,  and 
in  its  place,  no  Lodge  can  be  regularly  opened,  and 
no  Lodge  business  legally  transacted.  It  is  opened 
at  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  St.  Paul’s  first  epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  wherein  the  great  apostle  is  ex¬ 
patiating  on  the  virtues  of  Faith,  Hope  and  Charity, 
the  “greatest”  of  which,  he  declares,  is  Charity,  and 
it  is  open  at  this  particular  place,  so  that  it  may  be 


8 


a  constant  reminder  to  all  Workmen  that  their 
dealings  with  each  other,  and  with  all  mankind, 
may  be  governed  by  this  sublimest  of  all  the 
virtues. 

Charity  is  but  another  name  for  the  warmer  seir- 
timent  of  Love,  and  though  it  may  imply  the  feel¬ 
ings  which  condones,  pities,  and  sympathizes  with 
sorrow  and  misfortune,  as  the  ruling  principle  of  a 
Worknran’s  creed,  it  also  implies  material  aid  and 
assistance,  as  well  as  kind  words,  for  the  distressed 
and  unfortunate.  But  while  our  hearts  may  over¬ 
flow  with  sympathy,  and  our  hands  be  wide  open 
with  liberal  assistance  for  a  brother  or  a  stranger 
in  distress,  there  is  nothing  more  repugnant  to  a 
true  and  self-respecting  Workman  than  the  idea  of 
giving  or  receiving  “alms.”  When  we  undertake  to 
aid  a  brother  or  a  brother’s  family  in  distress,  we 
are  only  fulfllling  an  obligation  which  each  one  as¬ 
sumes  toward  the  other  on  becoming  members  of 
the  Order — “Helping  a  brother  to  help  himself.” 

And  this  brings  us  to  our  third  musical  illustra¬ 
tion,  “Heaven-born  Charity,”  to  the  air  of  “Brown 
Octoher  Ale.” 


“HEAVEN-BORN  CHARITY.” 

Air — “Brown  October  Ale,”  from  Robin  Hood. 

0  will  ye  come  with  me,  my  lads,  0  will  ye  come 
with  me. 

And  join  your  hands  with  Workmen  bands  in  sweet 
Fraternity, 

To  shield  from  ill  each  Workman’s  home,  bid  want 
and  sorrow  flee^ 

And  bring  new  Hope  to  every  man,  and  practice 
Charity. 

Then  out,  lads,  and  shout,  lads,  the  Workman’s 
roundelay,, 

In  all  our  days  we’ll  sing  the  praise  of  Heaven- 
born  Charity. 

Then  out,  lads,  and  shout,  lads,  the  Workman’s 
roundelay, 

In  all  our  days  we’ll  sing  the  praise  of  Heaven- 
born  Charity. 


9 


0  will  ye  come  with  me,  my  lads,  0  will  ye  come 
with  me 

Where  sorrow  sighs  with  tearful  eyes  .and  little 
children  mourn, 

To  bring  relief  to  hungry  homes  and  cheer  the 
hearts  forlorn, 

Bring  joy  and  peace  to  every  sonl,  and  drive  despair 
away. 

Then  out,  lads,  and  shout,  lads,  the  Workman’s 
roundelay, 

In  all  our  days  we’ll  sing  the  praise  of  Heaven- 
born  Charity. 

Then  out,  lads,  and  shout,  lads,  the  Workman’s 
roundelay. 

In  all  our  days  we’ll  sing  ,  the  praise  of  Heaven- 
born  Charity. 


HE  WAS  IN  IT. 

There  are  many  wise  saws  warning  us  “Never  to 
put  off  till  to-morrow  what  we  can  do  to-day,’’  that 
“Delays  are  dangerous,’’  and  “We  know  not  what  a 
day  nor  an  hour  may  bring  forth,”  etc.  It  is  bad 
plough  to  neglect  these  warnings  when  one  has  no 
one  but  himself  to  think  about,  but  when  there  are 
others,  perhaps  helpless  ones,  dependent  on  us,  and 
we  refuse  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  opportunity  to 
provide  for  a  “rainy  day,”  our  neglect  becomes 
criminal.  For  lack  of  this  providential  foresight, 
involving,  perhaps,  a  little  thrift  and  sacrifice  in 
the  meantime,  our  jails  are  filled  with  criminals 
and  our  poorhouses  with  paupers;  while  those  who 
are  guilty  of  this  neglect,  after  enduring  an  old  age 
of  discomfort  and  privation,  leave  to  those  who 
come  after  them  a  legacy  of  poverty  and  possible 
degradation.  Instances  of  these  neglected  oppor¬ 
tunities,  with  the  cruel  consequences  they  entail  on 
their  innocent  victims,  are  within  the  knowledge 
and  experience  of  almost  every  one.  You  have  at 
this  moment,  undoubtedly,  many  of  you,  in  your 
niind’s  eye  instances  of  men  with  families  depend¬ 
ent  on  them,  who  at  one  time  or  another  wmre  able 
to  lay  by  a  little  and  so  make  provision  for  them, 


10 


or  to  take  out  a  policy  in  their  favor  in  the  Work¬ 
men,  or  some  such  kindred  organization,  but  who, 
for  lack  of  a  little  forethought,  or  perhaps  unwill¬ 
ingness  to  forego  the  indulgence  of  some  appar¬ 
ently  cheat)  luxury — the  habitual  cigar  or  drink, 
perhaps — have  brought  upon  those  they  love  untold 
and  unremitting  hardship,  and  upon  themselves  un¬ 
ceasing  regret.  Alas!  too  late  they  come  to  realize 
that— 

“The  saddest  words  of  tongue  or  pen. 

Are  those  sad  words,  Tt  might  have  been.’  ’’ 

In  further  illustration  of  this  part  of  our  theme 
we  introduce  our  fourth  song,  to  the  air  of  “He  Was 
In  It.” 

HE  WAS  IN  IT.” 

I  called  at  the  house  of  a  friend  whom  I  knew — 

He  was  in  it. 

And  asked  him  to  join  the  A.  O.  U.  W., 

And  get  in  it. 

He  asked  what  it  cost  to  get  in  and  to  stay; 

I  told  him  tbe  price  of  a  drink  every  day,' 

But  he  said  that  he  thought  it  was  too  much  to  pay, 
To  get  in  it.  , 

The  rain  fell  one  day  in  a  pitiless  shower — 

He  was  in  it. 

He  got  .drenched  to  the  skin  by  the  heavy  down¬ 
pour — 

He  was  in  it. 

He  caught  a  bad  cold  by  the  wetting,  he  said; 

He  had  pains  in  his  limbs,  and  his  back,  and  his 
head. 

Pneumonia  set  in  and  they  put  him  to  bed. 

He  was  in  it. 

In  spite  of  good  nursing  his  symptoms  grew  worse 
Every  minute. 

The  doctors  and  physic  soon  took  from  his  purse 
What  was  in  it. 

They  told  the  poor  wife  to  be  patient  and  brave. 
While  vainly  they  tried  the  poor  husband  to  save. 
By  the  side  of  Lone  Mountain — God’s  acre — they 
dug  him  a  grave. 

He  is  in  it. 


O’er  the  hills  to  the  poorhouse  the  family  did  go 
They  are  in  it. 

The  purse  nad  got  empty,  the  larder  also; 
Nothing  in  it. 

And  O!  the  sad  wail  and  the  heartbroken  cry 
Of  the  wido-«  and  orphans  as  hopeless  they  sigh, 
The  objects  of  pity  to  all  who  pass  by. 

While  they’re  in  it. 


A  moral  there  is  to  the  tale  I  have  told 
Are  you  in  it? 

The  healthiest  people  are  apt  to  catch  cold. 

And  get  in  it. 

If  you  are  invited  the  Workmen  to  join. 

Don’t  say  it’s  too  dear,  and  the  offer  decline; 

And  I  pray  you  take  heed  to  this  story  of  mine. 
And  get  in  it. 

— Sam  Booth. 


THE  CLASSIFIED  PLAN. 

To  those  who  have  been  identified  with  our  grand 
old  Order  for  any  considerable  time,  its  early  strug¬ 
gles  and  difficulties,  and  the  way  they  have  been 
triumphantly  overcome,  is  a  most  interesting  study. 
The  “Old  Line”  life  insurance  companies  regarded 
us  as  bungling  novices  in  the  business,  and  pre¬ 
dicted  speedy  failure.  And  it  is  probably  true  that 
we  have  made  mistakes.  But  one  of  the  most 
gratifying  circumstances  connected  with  our  Order 
is,  that  when  the  mistake  has  become  apparent,  it 
has  been  rectified,  and  the  remedy  applied,  not  only 
without  injury,  but  with  the  most  satisfactory  re¬ 
sults  to  the  Order.  The  manner  of  levying  the  Ben¬ 
eficiary  Assessments  is  a  case  in  point.  In  the 
early  history  €‘1  the  Order,  the  “Level  Assessment” 
plan  was  universally  adopted,  and  it  worked  well 
enough  while  the  Order  was  young,  and  is,  in  fact, 
in  vogue  yet  in  some  of  the  younger  and  more 
vigorous  Grand  .Turisdictions.  But  experience,  and 
a  study  of  mortality  tables  and  mortuary  statistics, 
convinced  the  wisest  and  best  men  of  the  Order 
of  the  unfairness  and  inequality  of  assessing  the 


12 


young  men,  whose  life  expectation  was  compara¬ 
tively  long,  at  the  same  rate  as  the  old  man,  whose 
life  expectancy  was  naturally  short.  And  so,  after 
long  and  serious  consideration,  the  “Classified 
Plan”  of  assessment  was  adopted  in  the  Supreme 
Lodge,  and  permitted  to  such  Grand  Jurisdictions 
as,  hy  vote  of  its  members,  desired  to  adopt  it.  It 
was  adopted  by  California  in  September,  1896,  and 
the  condition  and  prospects  of  the  Order  to-day,  as 
compared  with  its  condition  and  prospects  before, 
and  at  the  time  of  its  adoption,  are  gratifying 
proofs  of  tne  wisdom  of  that  proceeding. 

And  this  will  serve  to  introduce  our  fifth  musical 
number,  “The  Classified  Plan,”  to  the  air  of  “Billy 
Barlow.” 

THE  CLASSIFIED  PLAN. 

Air — “Billy  Barlow.” 

O  Workmen  and  Brothers,  come  list  to  my  song, 

Of  how  our  dear  Order  is  marching  along; 

For  the  thirty-two  years  since  the  good  work  began 
To  the  time  we  adopted  the  “Classified  Plan.” 

When  good  “Father  Upchurch”  his  mission  pro¬ 
claimed, 

And  the  Order  of  United  Workmen  was  named — 
The  wisest  and  best  ever  thought  of  by  man. 
Undreamt  of  by  him  was  the  Classified  Plan. 

Through  old  Pennsylvania  the  Order  did  go; 

Ohio,  Missouri,  New  England,  also; 

Through  cities  and  towns  like  a  cyclone  it  ran. 
With  never  a  thought  of  the  Classified  Plan. 

J'he  North  and  the  South,  lately  met  in  fierce  fight. 
In  “Charity,  Hope  and  Protection”  unite. 

With  our  own  California  well  up  in  the  van, 
Though  still  not  a  thought  of  the  Classified  Plan. 

For  twenty-five  years  we  were  prosperous  then. 

And  were  joined  by  all  kinds  and  conditions  of 
men — 

The  banker,  the  tradesman,  the  skilJed  artisan — 
And  as  yet  with  no  need  of  the  Classified  pjan. 


13 


In  the  meantime  the  members  grew  older  apace,  _ 
And  enough  of  young  men  were  not  taking  their 
place; 

By  a  glance  through  the  ranks  the  observer  might 
scan 

The  time  had  now  come  for  the  Classified  Plan. 

For  as  members  grew  older,  it  soon  became  known. 
Assessments  went  up,  as  our  numbers  went  down; 
California  v»ras  doomed,  and  lay  under  a  ban. 
Unless  we  adopted  the  Classified  Plan. 

But  thanks  to  the  wisdom  and  courage  of  all, 

Who  saw  the  decline,  and  prevented  the  fall, 
Baines,  Danforth,  and  “Dave,”  and  the  “Little  grey 
man.” 

Who  worked  with  their  might  for  the  Classified 
Plan. 

And  now  was  arrested  the  hand  of  decay — 

Of  membership -failing  and  dwindling  away; 

New  hope  was  inspired,  and  new  confidence  ran 
Through  all  the  broad  land  with  the  Classified  Plan. 


Mechanics  and  merchants  left  fact’ries  and  stores, 
The  professor  his  books,  and  the  farmer  his  chores. 
The  mining  prospector  his  pick  and  his  pan. 

To  join  with  us  under  the  Classified  Plan. 

Through  the  length  and  the  breadth  of  our  great 
Golden  State 

'the  brethren  were  roused  by  the  earnest  debate; 
Old  Lodges  revived  and  new  Lodges  began 
To  work  with  new  life  on  the  Classified  Plan. 


Then  let  every  Workman  unite  hand  and  heart 
To  build  up  our  Order,  each  doing  his  part; 

And  the  blessing  of  God  and  the  praises  of  man 
Will  attend  the  good  work  of  the  Classified  Plan. 


LOCKED  OUT. 


We  have  been  laboring  to  but  little  purpose  if  we 
have  not  made  it  apparent  by  tnis  time  that  frater¬ 
nal,  co-operative,  beneficiary  societies  are  a  good 
thing.  But  like  many  other  goods  things— good  in 
themselves — ^it  is  quite  possible  to  get  too  much,  or 
to  many  of  them.  Whiskey — sl  little  of  it  is  said 
to  be  a  good  thing,  when  used  in  moderation,  or  as 
medicine.  Water,  wind  and  fire  are  man  s  most 
useful  servants,  and  each  a  blessing  when  used 
properly.  But  when  abused,  or  when  they  get  be¬ 
yond  control,  they  become  dangerous,  and  some¬ 
times  involve  their  erstwhile  masters  in  destruc¬ 
tion.  And  so,  in  like  manner,  it  is  quite  possible 
to. assume  too  many  fraternal  obligations — to  be¬ 
come  a  member  of  too  many  beneficiary  orders. 

A  man  who  is  a  member  of  half  a  score  of  frater¬ 
nal  and  beneficiary  orders,  some  of  them  working 
in  opposition  to  each  other,  will  find  it  utterly  im- 
pcssible  to  discharge  his  obligations  to  all.  Such  a 
man  will  be  liable  to  the  appraisement  that  he  may 
be  “worth  more  dead  than  alive.’’  It  is  told  of  the 
wife  of  such  a  man,  that  when  a  neighbor  was  con¬ 
gratulating  her  on  the  prospect  of  becoming  a  r'ch 
woman  when  her  husband  died — being  his  benefi¬ 
ciary  to  so  many  orders  of  which  he  was  a  member 
—replied,  “Yes,  but,  confound  it,  he  won’t  die.’’ 
Another  serious  objection  to  being  a  member  of  too 
many  orders  is,  that  if  he  attends  to  his  duties  he 
will  be  out  and  away  from  home  too  many  nights 
in  the  week,  and  perhaps  too  late  at  night,  and  thus 
render  himself  liable  to  suspicion,  and  be  the  cause 
of  domestic  trouble,  and  he  will  be  a  lucky  m_an  if 
he  gets  out  of  it  as  easy  as  the  hero  of  the  follow¬ 
ing  song,  who  was  “Locked  Out.” 

LOCKED  OUT. 

Air  from  “The  Mikado.” 

When  I  got  home  last  Saturday  night 
The  hour  was  growing  late, 

“Good  Fellowship”  Lodge  had  been  quite  full. 

To  take  in  a  candidate. 


But  when  I  got  there  and  tried  the  door 
The  dog  began  to  bark; 

The  door  was  locked  and  barred,  and  I 

Was  left  alone  in  the  dark — the  dreadful  dark. 

I  kicked  and  yelled  for  an  hour  or  two, 

Till  I  could  no  longer  doubt 
My  wife  had  got  mad,  and  gone  to  bed, 

And  locked  and  barred  me  out. 

The  night  was  cold,  and  a  drizzling  rain 
Did  not  for  a  moment  cease. 

And  a  big  policeman  took  me  in 
Because  I  disturbed  his  peace. 

He  took  me  down  to  the  City  Hall, 

With  pimps  and  thieves  to  dwell. 

And  left  me  there  till  morning  came. 

In  a  dark  and  dismal  cell — dismal  cell. 

I  paid  my  fine,  and  I  went  straight  home 
In  a  fury  of  rage  and  pain. 

And  then  my  wife  made  weary  my  life  when  I  came 
home  again. 

But  now  we  have  both  been^'econciled. 

And  all  is  peace  again; 

We’ve  joined  a  Lodge  of  the  D.  of  H., 

Called  “Harmonie”  number  ten. 

She  sits  in  the  Chief  of  Honor's  chair. 

And  I  sit  by  her  side, 

.4nd  while  she  governs  the  Lodge,  I  act 
As  her  counsellor  and  guide — and  guide. 

I  call  her  “Sister  Mary  Ann,’’ 

And,  tickled  to  death  I  am. 

When  she,  for  advice,  turns  over  so  nice 
And  calls  me  her  “Brother  Sam.’’ 

A  HOT  TIME. 

If  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  had 
never  done  anything  more  than  to  introduce  the 
system  of  “co-operative  fraternal  life  insurance,” 
that  achievement  alone  would  entitle  its  founders 
to  the  gratitude  of  mankind.  It  is  no  exaggeration 
to  say,  that  during  the  thirty-two  years  of  its  ex¬ 
istence  it,  and  the  kindred  organiz^tiorrs  modelled 


1() 


after  it,  and  following  its  lead,  have  done  more  in 
this  direction  for  the  amelioration  of  the  condition 
of  the  poor  and  lower-middle  classes  than  had  been 
accomplished  by  all  the  so-called  fraternal,  benevo¬ 
lent  and  social  societies  which  had  ever  been  in  ex¬ 
istence  up  to  the  time  of  its  organization.  It  has 
distributed  one  hundred  and  ten  millioii  dollars,  al¬ 
most  exclusively  among  rhe  ncLd>  classes  above  al- 
Im'eG  to,  in  small  fortunes  of  two  thousand  dollars 
each,  to  the  widows  and  orphans  or  other  benefi¬ 
ciaries  of  its  deceased  members.  Fifty-five  thou¬ 
sand  homes  have  been  made  brighter  and  more 
cheerful — if  not  rescued  entirely  from  want  and 
degradation — by  its  beneficent  ministrations,  and 
not  less  than  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  per¬ 
sons  have  been  directly  benefited  by  its  aid.  But 
while  the  great  majority  of  our  members  join  the 
Order  for  the  sake  of  the  beneficiary  advantages  it 
holds  out,  it  is  no  less  admirable,  in  my  opinion, 
for  its  fraternal  and  social  privileges.  While  it  is 
true  that  but  few  of  the  Lodges  avail  themselves  to 
the  full  extent  of  these  privileges,  the  Lodges  that 
do  enjoy  them  could  tell  those  that  do  not  that  thev 
lose  the  most  enjoyable  features  of  Lodge  member¬ 
ship.  There  is  not  much  enjoyment  to  be  got  out 
of  the  unvarying  monotony  of  ordinary  Lodge  busi¬ 
ness,  and  the  members  of  a  Lodge  who  can  bring 
out  nothing  more  in  the  way  of  entertainment,  need 
not  expect  anything  but  empty  benches  in  a  listless 
Lodge. 

It  will  be  said  by  some  Lodges  that  they  have  no 
talent  for  entertaining  either  themselves  or  ariy- 
body  else.  I  doubt  if  there  are  any  Lodges  in  quite 
such  a  predicament.  Who  have  not  among  their 
members  some  one,  or  more,  who  can  sing,  recite, 
or  tell  a  story?  At  any  rate,  there  are  none  who 
cannot  make  an  effort  in  this  direction,  and  ten  to 
one  but  they  would  agreeably  surprise  themselves 
with  the  result. 

One  sometimes  hears,  even  among  our  own  men:- 
bers,  talk  belittling  the  fraternal  feature  of  the  Or¬ 
der.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  such  members — if  they 
attend  their  Lodge  at  all — pay  but  little  heed  to 
that  question  in  the  Order  of  Business,  “Are  there 


17 


any  members  sick,  in  distress,  or  out  of  employ¬ 
ment?”  And  still  less  do  they  consider  that  but  for 
this  fraternal  feature,  as  exemplified  through  the 
Supreme  Board  of  Relief,  we  in  the  Grand  Jurisdic¬ 
tion  of  California  would  haye  been  paying  one  or 
two  assessments  a  year  more  than  we  have  been 
called  u])on  to  do.  They  have  not  read  bow,  that 
sorne  years  ago,  when  a  portion  of  our  country  was 
stricken  with  an  epidemic  of  yellow  fever,  or  the 
more  recent  calamity  at  Galveston,  and  the  death 
rate  in  those  sections  v/as  abnormally  great  in  con¬ 
sequence,  that  the  members  of  the  Order  all  over 
the  country  came  to  the  rescue,  and  by  extra  as¬ 
sessments  on  themselves  helped  their  brothers  in 
distress  to  tide  over  their  misfortunes.  It  is  this 
social  and  fraternal  feeling,  I  take  it,  which  brings 
us  here  to-night,  and  as  a_  musical  contribution  to 
this  end,  we  will  introduce  “A  Hot  Time  with  the 
Workmen  To-night.” 

A  GOOD  TIME  WITH  THE  WORKMEN. 

Air — ‘‘A  Hot  Time  in  the  Old  Town.” 


Brother  Workmen  gather  round  us  here 
And  join  us  in  a  song. 

For  the  great  and  glorious  order 
Unto  which  we  all  belong. 

Bring  your  sisters  and  your  mothers 
And  your  sweethearts  and  your  wives. 

And  get  two  thousand  dollars 
Of  insurance  on  your  lives. 

CHORUS: 

Sing,  boys,  sing,  for  every  Lodge  and  brother, 
Sing,  boys,  sing,  for  sister,  wife  and  mother, 
Sing,  boys,  sing.  Protection  for  each  other 
And  a  good  time  with  the  Workmen  to-night. 

Here  you  meet  your  friends  and  neighbors 
In  a  kina  and  friendly  way. 

And  may  spend  a  pleasant  evening 
After  working  all  the  day. 


18 


Or,  if  you  should  he  unfortunate 
And  troubles  round  you  press, 

You’ll  have  friends  to  call  and  comfort  you 
In  sori'ow  and  distress. 

CHORUS. 

Then  sing,  boys,  sing,  etc. 

If  you’re  traveling  through  the  country. 

You  will  find  from  end  to  end 
In  every  town  a  Lodge  of  Workmen 
And  in  every  lodge  a  friend. 

Or,  if  design  or  accident 

Should  snap  your  thread  of  life 
The  protection  of  the  order  would 
Be  given  to  your  wife. 

CHORUS. 

Sing,  boys,  sing,  etc. 

FAIRY  TALES. 

When  the  four  bonanza  kings  had  swept  the  Com¬ 
stock,  and  cleared  out,  as  they  thought,  every 
thing  of  value  at  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  they  are  reput¬ 
ed  to  have  divided  among  them  something  over 
ten  million  dollars  apiece.  How  this  vast  sum  was 
accumulated,  how  many  poor,  foolish  people,  were 
“manipulated  ’  out  of  their  scanty  savings  to  swell 
the  aggregate,  will  never  be  known,  till  the  Record¬ 
ing  Angel’s  books  are  finally  experted.  Our  quartet 
of  railroad  magnates  are  reputed  to  have  “annexed” 
a  great  deal  more  than  this,  and  most  of  it,  in  the 
hands  of  the  original  syndicate  or  their  successors, 
is  being  multiplied  into  more  and  more  millions. 

part  O'f  this  has  been  diverted  to  nobler  uses.  A 
“dispensation  of  Providence,”  as  we  sometimes  call 
these  visitations,  led  perhaps  the  noblest  of  them 
and  his  nobler  wife,  to  appropriate  a  portion'  of  his 
accumulations  to  the  endowment  of  the  great  un'- 
versity  at  Palo  Alto  in  memoiy  of  a  beloved  and 
only  son,  taken  from  them  in  early  youth.  Exactly 
how  much  money  has  been  devoted  to  this  magnifi 


19 


cent  enterprise  perhaps  no  one  but  those  immedi¬ 
ately  interested  can  tell,  but  ten  millions  is  prob¬ 
ably  a  low  estimate.  It  was  a  glorious  conception 
and  it  is  coming  to  glorious  maturity.  It  will  en¬ 
able  the  ambitious  youth  of  our  Golden  State  to  lit 
themselves  for  great  and  useful  lives,  leaving  be¬ 
hind  them  perhaps  legacies  in  the  realms  of  litera¬ 
ture,  art  and  science  which  may  be  benefactions  to 
the  entire  human  family.  Since  the  organization  of 
the  Order  in  California,  twenty-six  years  ago,  we 
have  distributed  to  the  beneficiaries  of  our  brothers 
who  have  “gone  before”  the  sum  of  ten  million  dol¬ 
lars.  Five  thousand  homes  have  felt  the  kindly 
touch  of  its  splendid  beneficence.  Five  thousand 
families  have  been  rescued  from  penury  and  want — • 
the  widowed  mothers  restored  to  comparative  ease 
and  cbmfort,  the  sons  afforded  opportunities  of  edu¬ 
cation  and  the  attainment  of  positions  of  honor  and 
usefulness  in  the  community,  and  the  daughters  to 
become  the  proud  and  happy  mothers  of  the  com¬ 
monwealth.  During  the  six  years  in  which  I  have 
handled  the  funds  of  this  institution,  it  has  been 
my  happy  privilege  to  distribute  over  three  mil¬ 
lions  and  a  half  of  this  money.  And  when  Carne¬ 
gie,  Stanford,  Peabody  and  a  few  more  of  us  get  up 
yonder,  and  Peter  asks  us  what  we  have  done  with 
the  money  intrusted  to  us,  and  what  good  it  has 
done  to  those  we  gave  it  to,  I  think  I  can  make 
about  as  good  an  accounting  as  any  of  them,  and 
this  will  serve  as  an  introduction  to  “Fairy  Tales.” 

Air — “Fairy  Tales.” 

When  Upchurch  and  his  chosen  few 
Founded  the  A.  O.  U.  W., 

The  “old  line”  prophets  said  they  knew 
T’was  only  a  fairy  tale. 

They  said  five  years  would  surely  see. 

The  last  of  this  Fraternity, 

And  every  Workman  Lodge  would  be, 

A  vanishing  fairy  tale. 

Fairy  tale,  fairy  tale — we  hear  them  every  day. 

List  for  awhile  with  a  synical  smile, 

Then  wink  and  walk  away. 


20 


Four  hundred  thousand  men  now  grip, 

Fraternal  hands  in  Workmanship, 

Fairy  tales,  fairy  tales — this  is  no  fairy  tale. 

A  hundred  million  dollars  we 
Distributed  from  sea  to  sea. 

So  vast  a  sum,  it  seems  to  he 
A  wonderous  fairy  tale. 

In  fifty  thousand  Workmen’s  homes. 

Instead  of  hungry  sprites  and  gnomes. 

The  Workmen’s  benediction  comes, 

A  blessed  fairy  tale. 

Fairy  tales,  fairy  tales,  we  hear  them  every  day. 
Telling  of  cheer  and  wiping  the  tear 
Of  want  and  care  away. 

Children  singing  all  day  long 
.Joyful  strains  of  a  Workman  song, — 

Fairy  tales  fairy  tales,  wonderful  fairy  tales. 

Our  D.  of  H.  is  moving  on, 

From  Floi'ida  to  Washington, 

And  the  good  work  which  they  have  done. 

Reads  like  a  fairy  tale. 

Men  sa^..  that  girls, — both  old  and  young, 

Could  neither  speak,  nor  hold  their  tongue. 

But  time  has  proved  their  stories  wrong. 

And  only  a  fairy  tale. 

Fairy  tales,  fairy  tales,  we  hear  them  now  and  then, 
Some  of  the  “girls”  can  govern  a  Lodge  as  well  as 
some  of  the  men, 

With  Ney  and  Norman  at  the  head, 

The  Order  is  bound  to  thrive  and  spread. 

Fairy  tales,  fairy  tales,  beautiful  fairy  tales. 

“CATCH  HOLD  AND  PUSH.” 

To  an  outsider,  and  to  one  unaquainted  with  A.  O. 
U.  W.  literature,  the  mystic  initials,  “C.  H.  and  P.”. 
are  a  puzzle  and  a  source  of  curiosity  To  the 
initiated,  however,  they  stand  for  a  motto,  which 
every  true  Workman  is  proud  to  acknowledge,  and 
for  Virtues,  which  he  is  bound  to  practice  The 
great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  in  his  exordium  of  the 
Virtues,  and  in  the  passage  which  lies  before  the 


21 


eyes  of  every  Workman  as  he  stands  before  the 
Altar  of  his  Lodge,  says,  that  “the  greatest  of  these 
is  Charity.”  We  are  also  told  that  “it  is  Hope 
which  nerves  the  toiler’s  arm,  inspires  the  weary 
mind,  and  incites  to  noble  deeds.”  And  that  “Pro¬ 
tection”  is  a  sentiment  without  which  all  our  pro¬ 
fessions  are  vain.  These  three  joined  together 
make  a  combination  which  might  well  be  the  shib- 
oleth  of  the  most  exalted  form  of  the  most  ad¬ 
vanced  type  of  civilization. 

In  their  name,  then,  and  under  their  inspiring  in¬ 
fluence,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  is 
entitled  to  take  front  rank  among  the  agencies 
which  have  for  their  object  the  elevation  and  hap¬ 
piness  of  mankind. 

But  “C.,  H.  and  P.”  have  been  construed  in  the 
formation  Oi  other  sentences  and  combinations,  and 
without  specifying  all  of  them,  or  trying  to  extend 
the  list,  we  may  mention  the  construction  put  up¬ 
on  them  by  the  Alameda,  California,  Extension 
Committee.  Their  definition  of  the  meaning  of  “C.. 
H.  and  P.”  is,  “Catch  Hold  and  Push,”  and  whether 
they  find  inspiration  in  the  defination  or  not, 
certain  it  is,  that  the  Brothers  of  that  county  are 
among  the  most  active,  energetic,  and  successful! 
woi’i^ers  of  the  Order  in  the  state. 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  make  it  the  “burden” 
of  a  song  to  the  old  Scotch  air  of  “Cornin’  Thro' 
the  Rye.” 


“CATCH  HOTfi)  AND  PUSH.” 
Air — “Cornin’  Through  the  Rye.” 

If  you  wain  to  win  life’s  battle. 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

Go  where  bullets  fiercest  rattle— 
Catch  hold  and  push. 

Victory  comes  to  those  who  win  it 
In  the  final  rush. 

And  the  men  most  strictly  “in  it” 
Catch  hold  and  push. 


22 


Tf  you  want  to  get  possession, 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

If  you’d  be  in  the  “procession,” 

(...atch  hold  and  push. 

If  iJame  Fortune  you  would  woo  her, 

Do  not  stand  and  blush. 

Those  who  with  success  would  sue  her. 
Catch  hold  and  push. 

Whatsoe-er  be  your  condition, 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

Pedagogue  or  politician — 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

Those  who  win  official  favor, 

Cultivate  “the  Push;” 

And  don’t  depend  on  good  behavior — 
Catch  hold  and  push. 

If  your  Lodge  is  poor  and  lowly. 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

If  new  members  come  in  slowly. 

Catch  hold  and  push. 

Let  your  burdens  be  each  others’, 

Let  the  growlers  hush; 

Success  will  come  when  all  the  Brothers’ 
Catch  hold  and  pash. 


A  GRANGER’S  VISIT  TO  “FRISCO.” 

Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  r^ce,  the  good 
book  says,  it  was  not  good  for  a  man  to  be  alone, 
and  ever  since  and  all  the  way  down  the  ages,  man 
has  been  of  the  same  opinion  himself.  Some  of  us 
find  this  out  earlier  in  life  than  others,  and,  t^kirg 
time  by  the  forelock  and  a  woman  by  tne  armlock, 
have  so  much  longer  in  which  to  enjoy  whatever  is 
fairest,  sweetest  and  happiest  in  life.  In  like  man¬ 
ner  society,  under  whatever  name — social,  chari¬ 
table  or  fraternal — has  come  to  the  same  conclu¬ 
sion.  And  hence  the  Mason®  for  rrn.s''rt  th" 

Order  of  Eastern  Star,  the  Odd  Fellow  has  for  hel))- 
meet  Rebecca,  and  the  Workmen  have  for  sisters 
the  ladies  of  the  Degree  of  Honor. 


23 


As  women  are  the  first  and  most  painful  sufferers 
when  sickness,  death  or  other  misfortunes  invade 
the  home,  so  they  are,  naturally,  the  most  inter¬ 
ested  in  caring  for  and  preserving  the  home.  The 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  is  emphatically 
the  conservator  of  the  home,  and  hence  the  ladies 
of  the  D.  of  H.  love  the  Workmen,  and  vise  versa. 
And  why  shouldn’t  they  be  a  mutual  admiration 
society,  since  they  are  not  only  sisters  and  brothers 
in  the  lodge-room,  but,  in  many  instances,  sustain 
even  closer  and  more  sacred  relations  in  the  home. 

And  this  will  be  further  illustrated  by  “A  Grang¬ 
er’s  V  isit  to  San  Francisco,  and  What  Came  of  It.” 


A  GRANGER’S  VISIT  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO  AND 

WHAT  BECAME  OF  IT. 

Air — “The  Cork  Leg. ' 

I’m  right  from  the  mountains  of  Siskiyou; 

Come  listen  awhile,  and  I’ll  tell  to  you 
Of  how,  up  there,  on  the  Oregon  border. 

We  started  a  Lodge  of  our  Ancient  Order, 

Ri  tu  ri  nu,  etc. 

Last  summer  and  fall  we  had  done  quite  well. 

And  I  came  to  the  city  the  crops  to  sell. 

And  I  happened  to  meet  an  old  friend  one  night. 
Who  took  me  around  to  look  at  the  sights — 

Ri  tu,  etc. 

We  went  to  the  place  where  the  Lodges  meet. 

In  a  beautiful  hall  on  Market  street; 

T’was  an  open  meeting  for  social  glee — 

A  sort  of  brotherly  jamboree — ri  tu,  etc. 

There  were  speeches  and  music  and  reading  and 
song; 

And  all  in  good  humor,  and  none  of  them  long. 
There  was  fiddling  and  dancing  for  those  who  did 
like  it. 

And  they  ended  it  all  with  a  doughnut  racket — 

Ri  tu,  etc. 


24 


Bi  other  Barnes,  he  told  what  the  Order  had  done, 
For  the  orphans,  whose  fathers  had  left  them  alone, 
And  the  widows,  whose  husbands  were  laid  on  the 
shelf. 

That  I  almost  w'ished  I  was  a  widow  myself — 

Ri  tu,  etc. 

The  stories  and  speeches  seemed  all  so  true, 

About  what  the  order  was  bound  to  do, 

1  was  half  persuaded  to  join  them  too, 

And  start  up  a  Lodge  in  Siskiyou — ri  tu,  etc. 

I  applied  for  admission  and  paid  my  fee. 

And  stayed  in  the  city  to  take  my  degree, 

And  then  for  home  I  was  soon  en  route. 

With  my  benefit  papers  all  duly  made  out — 

Ri  tu.  etc. 

1  talked  with  my  neighbors  when  I  got  home, 

I  got  up  a  meeting  and  asked  them  to  come, 

I  made  them  a  speech,  and  I  told  what  I’d  done. 

And  we  started  a  Workman  Lodge  of  our  own — 

Ri  tu,  etc. 

And  the  women,  God  bless  them,  helped  on  the 
scheme. 

For  they  know  we  are  doing  it  all  for  them. 

And  one  of  the  ladies,  she  took  it  upon  her. 

To  introduce  the  Degree  of  Honor — ri  tu,  etc. 

Now  the  best  thing  that  ever  occurred  to  me, 

Was  jcining  the  order  of  that  degree, 
i^nd  I  bless  the  luck  every  day  of  my  life. 

For  the  Chief  of  Honor  is  now  my  wife — ri  tu,  etc. 

THE  A.  0.  U.  W.— THE  OLDEST,  THE  SAFEST. 
AND  THE  BEST. 

It  is  the  legitimate  boast  of  Workmen  that  they 
are  participants  in  the  oldest,  the  safest,  and  the 
best  life  insurance  organization  doing  business  on 
the  mutual  co-operative  beneficent  plan.  That  we 
are  the  oldest  is  proved  by  the  date  of  our  organiza- 


25 


tion,  as  compared  with  the  date  of  any  other  or¬ 
ganization  doing  business  on  a  similar  plan.  The 
two  and  thirty  years  of  our  existence  has  given  us 
the  stamp  of  maturity.  The  mistakes  we  may  have 
made  have  been  frankly  met  and  honestly  remedied, 
and  the  experience  we  have  gained  places  us  beyond 
the  stage  of  further  experiment.  Four  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  good  and  true  men,  represent¬ 
ing  over  two  millions  of  people,  have  pinned  their 
faith  on  the  permanence  and  perpetuity  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  a  record  far  ex¬ 
ceeding  that  of  any  of  the  mushroom  societies  that 
are  still  in  the  experimental  stage.  In  proof  of  our 
safety  we  are  proud  to  place  on  record  the  facts  that 
in  paying  out  one  hundred  and  ten  million  dollars 
to  the  beneficiaries  of  deceased  brothers,  and  in 
handling  an  insurance  business  of  over  eight  hun¬ 
dred  million  dollars,  not  one  dollar  is  known  to 
have  been  diverted  from  its  legitimate  purpose  and 
into  the  pockets  of  those  who  have  the  handling  of 
it.  Moreover,  if  it  were  known  that  such  had  been 
the  case,  the  party  so  offending  would  be  cast  out 
of  the  Order  as  a  disgrace  to  the  brotherhood  and  a 
thing  unfit  for  the  society  of  decent  men.  If  the 
foregoing  is  true,  it  surely  follows,  without  further 
argument,  that  an  organization  of  which  such 
things  can  be  said  must  be  the  best. 

“Do  We  Want  It?” 

THE  A.  0.  U.  W.— DO  WE  WANT  IT? 

Air — “Do  We  Want  Him.” 

Of  our  great  Fraternal  Order— the  A.  O.  U.  W.— 

Do  we  want  it?  Do  we  want  it? 

Come  gather  roxind  while  in  its  praise  we  sing  a 
verse  or  two — 

Do  we  want  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 

For  two  and  thirty  years  now  has  her  Charity  been 
known^ 

Inspired  by  “Hope”  the  weary  minds  which  else 
were  sad  and  lone. 

And  the  mantle  of  “Protection”  round  the  weak  and 
helpless  thrown. 

Do  we  want  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 


26 


A.— A.— 0.  U.  W. 

Join  a  Workman  Lodge  and  nothing  ill  can 
trouble  you. 

,  You’ll  meet  companions,  good  and  true, 

The  world  will  have  no  dread  for  you. 

Of  all  the  Orders,  old  and  new. 

The  Workmen  is  the  best. 

From  the  everglades  of  Florida  it  reaches  up  to 
Maine— 

Do  we  like  it?  Do  we  like  it? 

From  Canada  to  Washington  it  crosses  hill  and 
plain — 

Do  we  like  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 

In  every  town  and  hamlet  on  this  Occidental  strand. 
From  Oregon  to  Mexico,  the  Workman’s  altars 
stand, 

And  the  gentle  touch  of  Workmanship  is  felt  on 
every  hand. 

Do  we  want  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 

A.— A.— 0.  U.  W. 

Join  a  Workman  Lodge  and  nothing  ill  can 
trouble  you. 


To  aid  a  Workman  in  distress— this  is  the  Work¬ 
man’s  task — ■ 

Do  we  like  it?  Do  we  like  it? 

The  tears  of  sorrow,  turned  to  joy,  is  all  the  praise 
we  ask — 

Do  we  want  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 

And  when  at  last  the  summons  from  death’s  angel 
shall  appear. 

And  the  weeping  wife  and  children  gather  round  a' 
Brother’s  bier. 

The  Workman’s  Benefaction  comes,  to  comfort  and 
to  cheer. 

Do  we  like  it?  Well,  I  should  say  so. 

A.— A.— 0.  U.  W. 

Join  a  Workman  Lodge  and  nothing  ill  can 
trouble  you. 


— Sam  Booth. 


27 


THE  WORKMEN  WILL  BE  THERE. 


Air— “My  Hannah  Eady” 

We  are  the  Ancient  Order,  a  United  Workmen  band; 
Our  Lodges  have  been  planted  in  all  this  glorious 
land, 

In  every  town  and  hamlet  the  Workmen’s  altars 
stand. 

And  Workmen  Lodges  meet,  with  Master  Workmen 
in  command. 

Soldiers,  sailors,  merchants,  tailors,  clergymen  and 
cranks. 

Plowmen,  ranchmen,  Danes  and  Frenchmen,  join 
the  Workmen  ranks; 

Bankers,  bakers,  undertakers  ’round  our  altars  come. 
To  give  protection,  and  with  kind  affection  to  pre¬ 
serve  the  Workman’s  home. 

— Chorus: 

O  Brother  Workmen,  we  all  love  you, 

And  Workmen  Sisters,  we  love  you  too; 

And  when  G.abriel  blows  his  horn 
The  Resurrection  morn 

The  United  Workmen  surely  will  be  there. 

It’s  two  and  thirty  years  now,  since  the  Workman 
plan  was  made. 

By  good  old  Father  Upchurch,  and  its  firm  founda¬ 
tions  laid. 

And  now,  one  hundred  and  ten  million  dollars  have 
been  paid. 

And  fifty  thousand  families  have  felt  its  kindly  aid. 
Every  station,  occupation,  finds  a  welcome  dear; 
Every  region  and  religion’s  represented  here; 

Every  County  gets  the  bounty  of  our  Order  true, 
PTom  San  Diego  and  from  old  Bodego,  aw’ay  irp  to 
Siskiyou. 

— Chorus: 

O  Brother  Workmen,  we  all  love  you. 

And  Workmen  vSisters,  we  love  3'OU  too. 

And  when  Peter  at  the  gate 

Shall  pass  in  those  who  wait 

The  United  Workmen  will  be  there. 


28 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINA 
AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


RARE  BOOK  COLLECTION 


Green 

249 


’^^O'EARKELL 


I 


